


Making It Out Alive

by NeonDomino



Series: Fantasy February [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Egypt, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Ancient Egypt, Assassin Remus, Assassination Plot(s), Assassins & Hitmen, Falling In Love, Flashbacks, M/M, Pharaoh Sirius, Royalty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 06:35:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29309688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeonDomino/pseuds/NeonDomino
Summary: Remus is sent to kill the Pharaoh, but understandably falls in love with him instead.
Relationships: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Series: Fantasy February [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2144055
Comments: 3
Kudos: 40





	Making It Out Alive

* * *

Remus is known around town as a mild-mannered farmer, having arrived in town six months ago. As he drives his carriage, his horses trotting along slowly, no one looks his way. He's one of many to leave. He makes his way down the path and out of town.

The queen won't have the guards searching, not yet. They had a deal after all. There is proof of their agreement, which is his route out of town. If the Queen stops him, his employers will expose her. He has his belongings secured on his cart. He was clear upon arriving in the town that he only intended to stay for six months to help deal with the problems that the flood had caused. They needed more farmhands and the other towns and villages in the kingdom were ordered to send their spare farmers.

Remus was asked to come at the same time, under the ruse of being a farmer. That's why he was picked, and he leaves at the same time as all the other farmers. He's hidden within the other carts, some piled higher with people who are going back to the same village.

He can't have anyone on his cart. He has plans. There's a horse and smaller cart waiting a few miles away. There's a dead animal hidden within his things. The alias he used here will disappear, leaving a blood-smeared cart in an area where it's rumoured to have wolves. A rumour started by himself six months ago, of course.

He's got something important to transport out of town. He can't be seen doing it. The guards will get involved and Remus' life is on the line.

He leaves before anyone knows what he's done.

* * *

_Remus has been in town for two weeks. He's working in the farm that is most used by the Pharaoh, and he's to bring supplies to the palace. Remus suspects the queen has planned it this way - because of all the people there, he's now somehow the one who gets to go to the palace._

_The area he's led to by a guard is open and vast. There are pools of water and beautiful stones leading the path to where a man is slouched in the seat, one leg up, cloth just barely covering the parts of his body that would upset those looking._

_"A farmer from the Greyback farms," the guard states._

_"Yeah yeah," the Pharaoh says, not glancing over. His head is leaning back and Remus can't get a good look at him. "Go away."_

_"Me?" Remus asks softly, a little uncertain._

_"No. He's talking to me" the guard says, with a sigh. "Always the guards." The man turns and leaves, and Remus' attention turns back to the Pharaoh. There's a long couple of minutes of silence, and Remus stays silent, head bowed respectfully._

_"You're new. Lift your head, farmer."_

_Remus looks up, though he keeps his gaze lowered to the ground. "I'm new," he confirms._

_He notices the Pharaoh move, standing up. The man approaches, his hand moving to Remus' chin, pulling his head up further. Remus finally lifts his gaze and finds himself staring at the most beautiful man in all of Egypt. His gaze darts all over Sirius' face._

_"I think I might keep you," the Pharaoh whispers, grey eyes examining Remus' face. "You're beautiful."_

_Remus meets his gaze. "I'm not a pet you can keep," he replies firmly. "I'm here to do a job, that is all."_

_Sirius grins. "Not as a pet," he confirms. "As my favourite…"_

_Remus smiles slightly. "I'm flattered, my Pharaoh - and if that's what you order, so be it. But I don't share those I lay with. If I have a choice in this, it'd be to say no."_

_The Pharaoh steps back. "I would never place an order like that," he says. "Though it makes me wary what people are saying. I don't have any current partner either. I'm struck by your beauty. Surely a life at the castle is preferable to a life on a farm?"_

_Remus smiles slightly. He's never had a job where he's had to seduce someone, and he's not sure this is it. Though… he's so tempted._

_"I prefer my freedom. I like working."_

_"Freedom," the Pharaoh murmurs. "I envy you. Can I at least know your name?"_

_"Romulus, my Pharaoh."_

_"And that is the first thing you've said that I've liked," Sirius confirms, stepping forward again. Remus frowns, confused._

_"What did I say?"_

_"You called me 'my Pharaoh'. And as soon as my eyes found you and I saw your beauty, I knew that I would be all yours. So your words are to my liking, because I'm yours, Romulus. You have your freedom, but perhaps some of that free time will have you coming to visit me at the castle?"_

_Remus' lips curve up. "As long as I don't have to share you."_

_"I'm all yours, as long as I'm not sharing you either."_

_Remus tells himself that he won't allow this to become romantic. Befriending the Pharaoh and learning his crimes and getting close enough to end his life._

* * *

He reaches the spot he's planned to do this and he listens for the sound of hooves. There should be no one coming down here in a while, he's made sure to be behind others leaving.

He removes his simple farmer clothes for those of a trader, and he makes sure the cart is close to the other.

He moves boxes, he shifts everything around, and then carefully drags the hidden body from behind everything, moving it to the other cart.

Sirius is unconscious still, and won't wake for hours. Remus is as careful as he can be with the man. He's already gotten hurt from his fall when Remus poisoned him with something that'd make him fall unconscious for a day. Remus doesn't want to hurt Sirius. Not anymore.

He covers Sirius with a blanket, hiding the body from anyone he passes, and takes several of the boxes and fits them on the back, throwing some folded blankets on Sirius' legs. The food is moved across, and he returns to his old cart.

He hates this part - but the animal he purchased from a hunter is used to coat the cart in blood, the ground too. He pushes some boxes to the floor and he unhitches the horses. They're used to town so may navigate back towards there.

Satisfied that his alias as Romulus will be considered dead, attacked by wolves, Remus gets on the new cart and he begins his journey back to the far-off town where he was born. His employers don't know he's from there, and they won't look for him there.

He'll be safe. Sirius will be safe.

* * *

_It's the middle of one of the parties when Remus turns up, having had a letter from the Pharaoh. They've sat and talked many times and he's still not sure why the man is destined to be killed. But the Queen has insisted that he's bad. That he does wrong, and Remus can't help but believe her. Queen Walburga is revered._

_But there's something different about this letter. He passes the guards and he walks through the palace to Sirius' rooms, showing the request to visit to anyone who stops him. There's less and less now, they're used to him turning up at odd times, which is good because it gives him access to the chambers. When he does his deed, it'll be easy._

_Sirius is on his balcony when Remus walks in, slouched forward._

_"My Pharaoh," Remus murmurs, lowering his head. "I'm here."_

_Sirius turns. "You're always here when I ask for you," he says, and there's a hint of awe in his voice. "How is it you of all people that is the one I trust amongst everyone? In a castle full of family and advisors and guards, it's you, a farmer."_

_"It might not be a high position, but it's a worthy job," Remus tells him._

_"I'm not saying otherwise," Sirius insists. "I'm merely stating that there should be people within these walls that I can trust. But you…" he sighs. "I have food, drink. The party is happening downstairs, yet I don't want their company. Just yours."_

_Remus smiles. He takes an offered seat and Sirius turns and walks over. Remus stares. This is the first time he's seen Sirius without the make-up, without the head-dress. Without his finery, Sirius is even more beautiful. At least with that stuff, it helped there be a wall between them, but now there's no wall and Remus is thrown by this._

_Sirius takes his own seat and pours the tea._

_"There's pressure to marry," Sirius confides quietly. "Less so from mother, surprisingly enough. But from others in the family. It's usually my mother that pushes for me to marry. She despises that I prefer male company. She's ashamed of me." He sips his tea. "I can't bear even the thought of laying with a woman. I like men. No. Ever since my eyes laid on you, I've never wanted anyone else. I want you. I can't marry you, as a Pharaoh I can't offer you what I believe you want. Not in the open anyway. Behind doors, you'll be mine and I'll be only yours. You'll never want for anything." There's desperation to his tone._

_"I don't know what to say," Remus whispers. Is this why the queen wants her son dead? It makes sense now, because Sirius is a beautiful person._

_Sirius reaches out, taking Remus' hand. "Farmers will be sent home soon," he admits. "We're approaching the six months. Three weeks to go and I'm terrified of losing you. The time has flown by and I've already lost my heart to you. I want to ask you to stay. Perhaps remain working on one of the farms so I don't lose you. Selfish of me, I know."_

_"I can't stay," Remus admits, his mind racing. He doesn't want to kill Sirius - he hasn't wanted it for so long, but now… now he has a reason to keep this man alive, and he's got to find a way. "Perhaps there's a way you can come with me."_

_Sirius laughs and it sounds a little broken. "The only way out of this life is death," he says sadly. "I don't have your freedom, Romulus. If only I did. I'd choose to leave with you. Such is the life of a pharaoh. Would you be more likely to say yes if I seduced you?"_

_Remus sadly shakes his head. He's got to maintain the illusion to Sirius at least that he's leaving. "But perhaps these three weeks won't be wasted." He sets his cup down and walks towards the lavish bed. "I'm yours, Sirius."_

_Sirius can't move fast enough. He rushes to Remus, lips finding Remus' and fingers pulling at his clothes to remove them from his body._

_Remus can make his plans tomorrow. He can work out how to get Sirius out of there, because he knows what he's feeling, and he's not going to let Sirius die._

* * *

They travel for an hour and Remus has set up camp. The beast he purchased from the hunter is cooking over a fire.

"What's… what's happening?" Sirius stirs, his arms shaking as he tries to push himself up from the ground. "Romulus?"

Remus smiles softly. "I was waiting for you to wake up," he says quietly. "This is confusing, I imagine. Before running, ask me questions and give me a chance to answer. If you still want to return, do so."

Sirius glances at the horses, his legs shaking as he gets to his feet. He looks towards the fire and the log Remus is sitting on.

"Explain," he says, taking a seat. "And share this food."

"Of course. It's almost done," Remus assures him. "I have fruit in the meantime." He reaches into a nearby bag and hands over an apple. "I've been lying to you for a long time. I'm not a farmer. I was supposed to kill you."

"You were? Why haven't you?" Sirius asks.

"The queen… she said you deserved to die. From what I found out, there's no reason for you to die. Plus, perhaps I fell in love with you. You wanted freedom and escape and I've arranged that. I gave you a poison to make you look dead. I took your body from the morgue during the mourning period and we're leaving down. I've faked my death on the road, so Romulus is no more. I didn't know how else to save you. Do you have any questions?"

Sirius is silent for a long time. He stares at the fire, and finally Remus gets up and starts to serve up the meat, handing Sirius a plate of some. He also offers some water, and Sirius drinks deeply.

"My own mother," he murmurs. "Well, she'll have my brother on the throne as she's always wanted. I think you've pretty much answered everything." There's a pause. "When you said you wouldn't stay, is this why? If you had just been a farmer, would you have stayed?"

Remus smiles. "Without question," he admits. "Even if I was there for any other reason. It's just that if we stayed, you would die at your mother's order, one way or another. They'll find out the truth when they realise your body is gone - or at least suspect, but by then, we'll be gone. Somewhere safe in case she sends other assassins."

"And your name? I imagine you're not Romulus?"

"Remus," he says. "It's a lot to take in."

"It is," Sirius admits. "My family tried to have me die because I will never marry and give an heir to our lands. But… but I'm free. I can be whoever or whatever I want, not led by someone else. I… I'll be with you?" He looks at Remus hopefully.

Remus smiles. "If you want to be," he says. "It's time for me to stop being an assassin and we can settle down back home."

Sirius nods. "I can only believe you," he insists. "Remus, if you were going to kill me, you would have done so already. I'm scared - terrified, but… but if I knew that this was a choice, I'd have made this choice myself. I will adjust to life without my wealth. I love you."

Remus grins. "I got paid quite a lot. Enough for us to buy a shop or take on a trade. Enough to get us there and start our life."

"Well, why have we stopped to camp?" Sirius demands. "We should move towards our new home, should someone find us!"

Remus laughs. "We need to eat and rest," he says. "There's space to sleep in the back of the cart. I've set traps around the area to keep us safe."

Sirius' smile widens. "Sleep, or celebrate?"

"Both."

Sirius leans in, his lips gently finding Remus'.

* * *


End file.
